


Shadows of Yesterday

by EpicNerd



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akuma Possession Trauma (Miraculous Ladybug), Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, DJWifi, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode: s01 Lady Wifi, Episode: s01 Le Bulleur | The Bubbler, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Nightmares, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 00:20:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28912233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpicNerd/pseuds/EpicNerd
Summary: Nino wakes up after having a nightmare about The Bubbler.
Relationships: Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Kudos: 9





	Shadows of Yesterday

Nino’s head bolted off his pillow, his chest heaving with loud panting as sweat drenched both him and his bed sheets. Trembling due to his muscles relaxing after being tensed in his sleep, Nino fumbles with the lamp on his bedside table before turning it on, illuminating the previously-dark room. Putting on his glasses, he gets out of bed, feeling far too overheated.

Though he was awake, the Bubbler’s laughter still rang hauntingly in his ears, taunting him. Stumbling into the bathroom, Nino turns on the light, walking to the sink and splashing cold water in his face. When he opened his eyes again, he thought he saw an akuma approaching in the reflection of the mirror, and he whips around, eyes bulging. However, nothing was there but the shadow where the two walls met on the ceiling. Warily, Nino turns the light back off and leaves the bathroom.

Looking over at his alarm clock, he saw that it was just a little bit after two in the morning. Ripping off his soaked sheets, Nino grabs a spare blanket to lay on top of his mattress while he numbly stares at the ceiling fan over his bed. He knew he had to go back to sleep since he had school in just a few hours, but he felt utterly restless.

Shifting repeatedly to try and find a comfortable position, Nino struggles to keep his mind off the one topic he refuses to discuss: his akumatization.

He had felt enragement towards Hawkmoth before, but the villain’s manipulation of him had sent him into a fury for the faceless foe. To hear the recounts of what he had done while in no control of his own body made his blood boil while also somehow making it run cold. He hadn’t really considered Hawkmoth’s power until he had been subject to it. It was terrifying how he could gain complete control of another human being and do so remorselessly. Nino had only considered once what may have happened if Ladybug and Chat Noir hadn’t been able to stop him. Still, he was haunted by what he had been able to do.

_ For once, he despised Alya. Why did she always have to record everything? Why was he forcing himself onto her website, the Ladyblog, to watch what he knew would make him retch? Part of him just wanted to know how many people he had to apologize to while part of him just wanted to know what happened. _

_ What he saw terrified him. He ripped adults away from their children, forced his friends to pretend that nothing was wrong and party when their parents were in danger, and even sent Ladybug and Chat Noir up to the sky? The Bubbler’s voice was far too much like his own, and it sent chills down Nino’s spine. _

Nino, far too restless to try and sleep, picked up his phone and put on his headphones before listening to music. His foot bounced on his propped-up leg, and he felt too paranoid to close his eyes or even turn off his lamp. His parents would be waking up in around three hours, so he would have someone to tether his fears down then. But, for the time being, Nino was alone.

That is, until his phone lit up with a buzz. Vision blurry from tears he didn’t know were trying to shed themselves, Nino read a text from Alya.

‘Saw that you were listening to music. Why’re you up?’

Nino sits up, crossing his legs as he hunches over and responds.

‘No reason. Why are you up?’

‘Bad dream?’

Nino’s breath hitched as Alya correctly guesses the source of his insomnia. He hesitates before responding, choosing his words carefully.

‘Maybe, but why’re you up?’

‘I had a bad dream, too. Too strong of a connection, y’know?’

Without her having to explain, Nino got what Alya was trying to say: a dream about her own akuma. She was always more open about it than him, but neither talked about it often. He knew it was harder for Alya since Lady WiFi looks more like her than he does the Bubbler. Still, objectively, the Bubbler caused more harm and fear than Lady WiFi did. Yeah, neither of them really liked to talk about it.

‘Yeah. I know.’

‘Mine was where there was a screen between me and Ladybug, and she kept throwing her yo-yo at the screen feverishly. She looked panicked and rushed.’

‘Yikes. It was just a dream, Als.’

‘Yeah. I know,’ Alya texted back, repeating Nino.

‘Are you up for the day or no?’

‘Depends. Are you up for the day?’

Nino couldn’t help but laugh at the tiny stubborness of his girlfriend. Ever since they started dating, everything about her just makes him smile. He thought being in love would make him feel all jittery and nervous, but he felt more at ease around Alya than he had ever been before, and that was saying something coming from him.

‘Yeah, I’m up. Might as well get to work on a mix I have to make for an upcoming DJ gig I scored.’

‘The counselors said that we need sleep; more than normal teenagers.’

Nino didn’t like the mention of the recently-implement counselors that joined the school staff to always be accessible to students. It was introduced by the mayor and supported by Ladybug and Chat Noir, but it just made Nino uncomfortable. Sure, it will help kids who have already been akumatized, and it may even help crack down of teen akuma rates. But, it just felt weird.

When they first arrived, there was a mandatory, one-on-one session between student and counselor, and Nino felt ridiculous throughout the allotted time. Why was he being expected to pour his heart out to a complete stranger that he knew didn’t actually care about his irrational fear of anything small that moves through the air; they were there because their boss told them to be there and that’s it. There is the path of the counselor and there is the path of the Nino, and, as far as the Nino was concerned, they didn’t naturally intertwine.

_ “I have it on file that you became the Bubbler due to frustration with another student’s home life. Is that correct?” _

_ Nino sighed, leaning back and crossing his arms. _

_ “Yeah.” _

_ “And is it true that, before the incident, you almost always had a case of bubbles, but you haven’t been seen using or even carrying one since?” _

_ “Well, yeah, but that kinda seems like a silly thing to have on record.” _

_ “And how are your relationships with your classmates?” _

_ Nino bit back a sarcastic remark that would surely get him a slap on the back of the neck if his mother were around to hear, and he forces himself to breathe through his frustration. _

_ “They’re all fine. Same as usual.” _

_ “Even with Adrien Agreste? I understand that he was the student whose parent you had an issue with.” _

_ “Fine. Adrien and I are still best friends.” _

_ “I can’t help but notice that you’ve been able to hold eye-contact with me all throughout this session up until you said that.” _

_ “I wasn’t aware that I was being evaluated on where I looked,” Nino said, unable to hold back his snarky remark. _

_ “You’re not being evaluated at all, Nino. I’m just here to try and help you.” _

_ “I don’t need any help! I’m fine!” _

_ Nino’s hands balled into fists, and he stood up and stalked out of the small office set up for the counselor. _

Nino clenched his jaw before forcing his body and mind to relax. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before returning his attention to responding to Alya.

‘I’ll be fine. You can go back to sleep, though.’

‘Are you sure? I don’t mind staying up if you want to talk or just need a distraction.’

‘I’m fine, Als. Really. Go back to sleep and I’ll see you at school.’

‘Okay…Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight.’

Nino put his phone down, feeling tired once more. He turned his music off, but got out of bed again. Walking into the bathroom, he turns on the light and stands in front of the mirror, bracing his hands on the edge of the countertop.

“My name is Nino Lahiffe. I am 14 years old. I attend Françoise Dupont High School…I am not the Bubbler. I was not in control of the Bubbler. I am a good person. I would never hurt my friends. I would never hurt anyone. Hawkmoth can’t hurt me. The Bubbler can’t get me. I am Nino Lahiffe; not the Bubbler.”

Nino stares at his reflection a bit longer, taking in the light-brown color of his skin that had no traces of blue, before letting out a shaky breath and turning off the light. Climbing back into bed, Nino places his glasses on the nightstand and turns the lamp off, submerging himself in darkness once again.


End file.
